1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a memory device and a method of fabricating the same, and in particular, to a magnetic memory device including a magnetic tunnel junction and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the increased demand for electronic devices with a fast speed and/or a low power consumption, memory devices embedded in the electronic devices require a fast operating speed and/or a low operating voltage. Magnetic memory devices have been suggested to satisfy such requirements. For example, the magnetic memory device can provide technical advantages, e.g., reduced latency and/or non-volatility, and thus, the magnetic memory devices are emerging as next-generation memory devices.
The magnetic memory device may include a plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ), each of which includes two magnetic layers and a tunnel barrier layer interposed therebetween. Resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction may vary depending on magnetization directions of the magnetic layers. The resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction is higher when the magnetization directions of the magnetic layers are anti-parallel to each other, as compared to the resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction when the magnetization directions of the magnetic layers are parallel to each other. This difference in resistance can be used as a data storing mechanism for the magnetic memory device. For example, a spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) is regarded as a promising high-density memory device, because it is possible to reduce an amount or density of a write current required for a writing operation, even when a magnetic memory cell is scaled down.